Automotive Safety

By lubitzd

  • First Speedometers

    Oldsmobiles are the first to feature speedometers.

  • Telescopic Shock Absorber

    The telescope shock absorber developed

  • Drum Brakes Invented

    Standard drum brakes are invented

  • First running boards

    First motor vehicle with running boards; these were added as a safety feature due to the sheer height of seats from the ground.

  • First four-wheel-drive automobile

    First four-wheel-drive automobile

  • First rear-view mirror

    First car having a rear-view mirror

  • First engine temperate indicator

    First car with an engine temperate indicator

  • First wraparound windshield

    First wraparound windshield

  • First slanting windshield

    First car with a slanting windshield to reduce glare

  • Single foot pedal operates four-wheel brakes

    First single foot pedal to operate coupled four-wheel brakes

  • First Car with Four-Wheel Hydrolic Brakes

    the Duesenburg Model A became the first car to have four-wheel hydraulic brakes.

  • First car with gas gauge

    First car with a gas gauge; or, in other words, a dashboard instrument showing the level of gasoline in tank; thus the driver was no longer forced to pull over and use a dipstick to establish how much gasoline was in the car.

  • First Car with Safety Glass

    First car with safety glass windows as standard equipment is offered by Cadillac.

  • Power Steering

    Pierce-Arrow to introduce the first power steering system. It works by integrating the steering linkage with a hydraulics system.

  • Safety Glass Standard on all Ford Cars

    safety glass became standard on all Ford cars

  • Independent front suspension

    first modern independent front suspension system, giving cars a smoother ride and better handling. By making each front wheel virtually independent of the other though attached to a single axle, independent front suspension minimizes the transfer of road shock from one wheel to the other.

  • First Barrier Crash Test

    GM Performed the First Barrier Crash Test

  • First Back-up Brake System

    The Hudson Terraplane came with the first back-up brake system. Should the hydraulic breaks fail, the brake pedal would activate a set of mechanical brakes for the back wheels.

  • Smooth Dash, Round Door Handles, Padded Front Seat

    Chrysler, Plymouth, DeSoto, and Dodge added such items as a flat, smooth dash with recessed controls, rounded door handles, a windshield wiper control made of rubber, and the back of the front seat heavily padded to provide protection for rear passengers.

  • Automatic safety transmission

    Oldsmobile and Buick both offer an automatic gearshift called an "automatic safety transmission."

  • First Turn Signals

    The industry's first electric turn signals developed by GM's guide lamp division (introduced on the market by Buick).

  • Safety Rim Wheels

    Safety rim wheels (made blowouts much safer)

  • Bi-Directional Signaling with Auto-Canceling Switch

    Buick is first to offer front/rear directional signaling with self-canceling switch.

  • Safety Cage

    Safety Cage

  • First car with self-adjusting brakes

    First car with self-adjusting brakes

  • First Padded Dashboard, Frost Safety Chamber

    The American Tucker was built with the world's first padded dashboard. It also came with middle headlight that turned with the steering wheel, a front steel bulkhead, and a front safety chamber.

  • Dual-control cars

    First dual-control cars for use in high school driver training classes

  • First Car with Disk Brakes

    The Chrylser Crown Imperial was the first car to come with standard disc brakes

  • First Car with Safety Cage

    SAAB incorporated aircraft safety thinking into automobiles making the Saab 92 the first production SAAB car with a safety cage.

  • Cruise control is developed

    Cruise control is developed

  • First puncture-sealing tubeless tires

    First puncture-sealing tubeless tires

  • Crumple Zone Concept Patented

    Mercedes-Benz patents "crumple zone" concept to protect vehicle occupants

  • Defroster Vents for windscreen

    Defroster Vents for windscreen

  • Safety Door Latches

    Safety door latches to help prevent doors from being forced open in collisions are made standard equipment on nearly all cars.

  • Daytime Running Lights

    Although available and mandated for years in Canada and Scandinavia, daytime running lights start to be offered on some new vehicles in the U.S.

  • Recessed Hub Steering Wheel

    Ford introduces recessed hub steering wheel.

  • Three-Point Seatbelt Invented

    Volvo invented and patented the three-point lap and shoulder seat belt, which became standard equipment on all Volvo cars in 1959.

  • First double-chambered captive-air safety tire

    First double-chambered captive-air safety tire

  • First Optional Front Seat Head Rests

    American Motors Corporation offered the first optional head rests for the front seat.

  • Dual Master Cylinder Braking

    Cadillac and American Motors are first to offer the dual master cylinder as standard equipment. It provides braking on at least two wheels should a malfunction occur to one part of the brake system.

  • Honda's two-point Belt

    Honda's two-point Belt

  • Rear-Facing Child Seat

    Volvo developed the first rear-facing child seat and introduced its own booster seat in 1978

  • ABS Brakes

    First mechanical anti-lock brakes based on aircraft technology, introduced on the Jensen FF

  • Childproof Rear Door Locks, Roll-over Bar

    Volvo offers childproof rear door locks, rear window defroster, roll-over bar in roof.

  • Energy-Absorbing Steering Column

    Energy-absorbing steering column introduced by General Motors.

  • Car with monocoque body

    Honda introduces a car with a monocoque body

  • Inertial Reel Belts

    Inertial Reel Belts

  • First Airbags

    General Motors produces the first airbags.

  • Honda's three-point ELR seatbelt

    Honda introduces the three-point ELR seatbelt

  • Electronic ABS

    Mercedes-Benz S-class is the first production car with electronic ABS.

  • Car with halogen headlights

    Honda introduces a car with halogen headlights

  • Driver's Airbag

    Mercedes-Benz S-class is the first production car with a driver's airbag.

  • Seatbelt Pre-Tensioners

    Seat belt pre-tensioners introduced on some cars to automatically tighten belts prior to accident.

  • Electro Gyrocator car navigation system

    (First in the world) Honda introduces the Electro Gyrocator, a car navigation system.

  • Third Brake Light

    High-level third brake light is introduced by Volvo.

  • Traction Control

    Traction Control

  • Side Impact Protection System

    Volvo introduces side impact protection system.

  • Side Inpact Protection Airbags

    Volvo introduces side impact protection airbag.

  • Electronic stability control

    Electronic stability control

  • Electronic Traction Control

    Electronic Traction Control

  • Active Torque Transfer System

    Honda introduces the Active Torque Transfer System

  • Honda Intelligent Driver Support System

    Honda announces the Honda Intelligent Driver Support System (HiDS), which provides assistance on expressways

  • Automatic stability control

    Cadillac is the first American carmaker to offer automatic stability control, increasing safety in emergency handling situations.

  • Side Curtain Air Bags

    Side curtain air bags introduced on some cars to protect occupants against head injuries in side collisions.

  • Less Agressive Air Bags

    GM installs less aggressive "next generation" air bags on Pontiac cars and GMC pickups and SUVs. Bags deploy with less force to protect children and small adults.

  • Night Vision

    Night Vision offered as an option on some Cadillac cars. Uses infrared video camera to display a ghostly image of objects in the road ahead.

  • Adaptave Headlights

    Adaptave Headlights

  • Collision Mitigation Brake System

    (First in the world) Honda introduces the Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS), with E-Pretensioner

  • Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive

    (First in the world) Honda introduces the Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system

  • Blind Spot Monitoring

    Blind Spot Monitoring

  • Lane Departure Warning

    Lane Departure Warning

  • Alcohol Detectors

    Alcohol Detector Lock

  • Tire Pressure Monitor System

    TPMS on all cars

  • Collision Avoidence

    Low speed Collision Avoidence

  • CitySafe Auto Braking

    Volvo offers CitySafe automatic braking system that automatically applies the brakes to prevent an accident if the driver fails to react (but only at speeds below 18 mph).

  • Pedestrian Detection System

    Pedestrian detection system offered as an option. Uses optical recognition software and video camera to warn driver of pedestrians in road ahead. If driver fails to react, automatically applies brakes.

  • Inflatable Seatbelt

    Inflatable Seatbelt